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Confused.com reveals the benefits and dangers of Baby on Board signs

Confused.com has teamed up with Brake, the road safety charity, to highlight the benefits and dangers of ”Baby on Board’ signs and remind parents about safety for younger passengers.

37% of parents (almost 2 in 5) have displayed a ‘Baby on Board’ sign either currently or in the past. Now it’s time to find out if they are a help or a hazard. Confused.com’s new research among 2,000 drivers (50% of whom have children under 16) found that 80% of the parents who use baby on board signs think they improve safety, while 46% of drivers said that ‘Baby on Board’ signs obscure vision when driving.

Confused.com’s research discovered that clutter is a concern among many drivers, and having too many novelty items displayed could be a safety issue. 51% of all those questioned said they think other drivers display too much clutter in their car windows, such as stickers and novelty items. 15% of drivers who do exhibit these signs admit they do so simply because they are a cute/novelty item while 4% only display one because they received it as a gift.

Brake’s experts have confirmed that window clutter can be an issue on the road, but acknowledge that baby on board signs can also have a safety benefit.

Julie Townsend, Deputy Chief Executive at Brake, said: “Baby on board signs can be incredibly helpful for emergency services at the scene of a crash in knowing whether there’s a child involved, but this help can become a hindrance if drivers display signs when their child isn’t in the vehicle. Worse still is the danger that can be posed by drivers obscuring their view by cluttering up windows with lots of signs. Drivers’ priority should always be getting there safely, without putting themselves, young passengers or other road users a risk. That includes ensuring your view isn’t obscured and you remain fully focused on the road.”

The research also found that drivers who have never displayed a ‘Baby on Board’ sticker or do not drive children around are more likely to think the signs are tacky (34%) or dangerous as they obscure vision (18%).

Meanwhile, 46% of people who drive kids around say they have driven with a ‘Baby on Board’ sign and 22% of these say they always display the sign.

Confused.com’s survey also reveals that 14% of parents with under-16s think ‘Baby on Board’ signs are uncool/not trendy and 33% of drivers think the signs are ‘tacky’. Interestingly, it’s women who are most likely to disapprove of the signs, with 35% of women questioned saying the signs are ‘tacky’ while only 31% of male drivers felt the same.

The research also found that a quarter of parents aged 18-24 (who have young children) always display a ‘Baby on Board’ sign when they drive. This age group is also most likely to display novelty stickers in their car window, compared to drivers of other ages. 18-24 year-old drivers are least likely to say that other drivers display too much clutter in their car windows.

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Confused.com Reveals Homeowners’ Most Expensive Possessions Are Not The Most Valuable To Them

Confused.com has revealed that homeowners’ most financially valuable possessions are not the ones which are the most precious to them. Computers and jewellery top the list of the most expensive items owned, but 74% of homeowners tell us that sentimental items such as photos, letters and drawings their child has done are more precious than their most costly items.

In a survey of 2,000 homeowners, Confused.com discovered that nearly three quarters said that the most financially valuable item they own is not the most precious item they possess, with photos being considered the most precious or sentimental items owned by UK homeowners.

Men differ from women with more men (29%) than women (23%) saying that the most financially valuable items they own are also the most precious to them, while women (47% compared to 34% of men) feel that photos are the most precious/sentimental items they own. The second most popular sentimental item for women is jewellery while the second most popular items for men are letters.

Older people (over 55s) are more likely to say that items inherited from a relative are among their most precious items but photos and letters are consistently precious across all age groups.

When it comes to insuring possessions, Londoners are most likely to take the gamble and fail to take out a home contents insurance policy: only 64% of Londoners who own their home tell us they actually have home insurance, compared to a national average of 80%. When it comes to 18-24 year-old homeowners, 16% of these do not even know if they have home contents insurance or not. 30% of 18-24 year-old homeowners say they don’t have a policy.

Despite such a large proportion of homeowners telling us that they do not bother with home insurance, 20% admit that they have been burgled in the past. Jewellery is the top item stolen by burglars, followed by items of sentimental value.

Gareth Kloet, Head of Car Insurance at Confused.com said: “Home insurance and a good awareness of home security can help to keep property safe. Sadly burglary is a fact of life that one in five of homeowners who we surveyed had already experienced. While insurance cannot replace items such as photos, it is possible to name precious items (that have a value of more than £1,000) on your home insurance policy. This helps ensure that possessions such as jewellery or antiques or expensive technology can be replaced or compensated for in the event of a burglary.”

For more possessions research, Confused.com’s unique infographic can be found here:www.confused.com/news-views/infographics/what-items-people-value-more-at-home-sentimental-or-expensive.

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Confused.com Reveals Home Insurance Theft Claims Are Highest In November

Confused.com has revealed that November is a month to be feared amongst the British public, as the darker nights and the approach of Christmas means burglars are out in force.

Summer has come to an end marking the official start of long winter nights. However, with less daylight, Confused.com is warning people to beware as the cover of darkness can prove a tempting offer for opportunistic thieves to target vulnerable homes.

Research released by Confused.com reveals that the most home insurance theft claims are made in the month of November, accounting for 9.1 per cent of home insurance theft claims*. This marks a huge 20% increasewhen compared with the month of April where burglary claims were at their lowest**.

With the average cost of a burglary at £3,500***, its vital homeowners take all the preventative measures they can to avoid becoming a victim. Confused.com urges people to check their home insurance policies to make sure they are fully covered in the event of a burglary as dark winter nights could prompt an increase in claims as a result of break-ins.

Commenting, Sean O’ Callaghan Detective Superintendent of Essex Police, said: “The onset of darker evenings, marked by changing clocks, always signals a change of tactics by police towards preventing burglaries. The cover of darkness has obvious attractions to these criminals.

“In fact, in the month of November, 676 burglaries took place within the area of Essex**. It is important to remember that opportunists carry out most burglaries. As a resident you can make a few small changes to your property and your daily routine that can help to make your home safer, by putting would-be burglars off and making life very difficult for them.”

Detective Superintendent O’ Callaghan, continued: “Having your property burgled can be very upsetting, as not only do the victims have to deal with the psychological effects of having their home entered, but they also have to spend time dealing with insurance companies to try and get back the monetary value of any stolen items, whilst also coming to terms with the loss of any sentimental or irreplaceable items.”

Mark Gabriel Head of Confused.com, Home Insurance, added: “Having adequate cover in place will minimise the financial impact and take the sting out of having to replace any of your stolen possessions.”

For more home theft prevention tips, or to learn more about home contents insurance visit Confused.com.

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M&S Money Goes Back To The Future To Compare Student Bedrooms

The average student crams into their room almost £699 worth of electrical gadgets and appliances, £444 worth of clothes, sports equipment valued at £246 and textbooks worth £231, according to the poll by M&S Money*.

The huge value of a student’s bedroom is not surprising, with over half of students (55%) owning a laptop, 48% possessing a MP3 player and 20% a widescreen television.

But students’ expensive tastes are nothing new as the survey also revealed what the typical university bedroom of 1985 looked like.

While today’s students listen to music through their MP3 player and stereo, students in 1985 enjoyed the sounds of Wham and Tears for Fears through their Walkman, ghetto blaster and turntable.

In the same year that ‘Back to the Future’ hit the big screens, the students of 1985 were watching the first episodes of Eastenders on their black and white TVs.

The 1985 student bedroom was also likely to contain an alarm clock, scientific calculator, Breville toaster, and even a landline phone for the lucky few.

The survey also revealed that only 8% of the 1985 students said they were burgled while at university, compared to 27% of current students.

Andrew Ferguson, M&S Head of General Insurance, said: “While the contents of a student’s bedroom have changed a great deal in the past 25 years, one thing remains the same – they have expensive tastes.

“Our survey shows the modern day student bedroom is a goldmine for thieves, so insurance could be the best investment students make this autumn.”

The survey was carried out to mark the 25th anniversary of the launch of the financial services arm of M&S**, today known as M&S Money.

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M&S Money Reveals Brits Stick To Things They Know And Love

M&S Money has revealed new research that shows when shop keepers and businesses earn the British public’s trust, customers return time and time again.

From dentists to favourite shop keepers, on average these relationships with our favourite shops and people last the test of time, according to new research by M&S Money* to mark the company’s 25th anniversary.

The results showed that people have firm favourites among their shopkeepers and other professionals, with almost 25 million Brits remaining loyal to their favourites for 20 years or more. Six out of 10 say that good customer service is the main reason they stay loyal to a person or business and over half cite reliability and good value for money.

The report also showed that 1.3 million women have stuck with the same hairdressers for over 20 years and, on average, British adults have the same doctor for almost 13 years, with over 10 million staying with the same doctor for 25 years. The research also found that despite some people’s nervousness they stay faithful to our dentists for nearly nine years. It was also revealed that men stay with their main bank for 14 years and women slightly longer at 15 years.

Colin Kersley, chief executive of M&S Money, said: “Consumers will evidently stick with businesses and people who deliver great service and look after their customers. Most people can name someone they trust completely, whether cutting their hair, managing their money, decorating their house or fixing their car.

“People clearly feel strongly about good customer service, reliability and trustworthiness as these are reasons why they stay loyal for so long. After 25 years in business, M&S Money has stood the test of time and we know how important it is to continue earning the loyalty of our customers.

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LV European Ex-UK Growth Fund Adds Sterling Hedged Share Class

LV= Asset Management (LVAM), the fund management arm of insurance, investment and pensions group LV=, is enhancing its LV= European ex-UK Growth Fund with the addition of a Sterling hedged share class, in response to growing demand from institutional and discretionary clients.

The new Institutional Income GBP Hedged Share Class is a further designation of the Institutional Income Share Class launched last month. It allows clients to mitigate currency risk on their investments but also to express any strong currency views by providing for free switching between hedged and unhedged share classes without having to realise the investment or incur any capital gains tax liability.

Julian Thomas, Head of Product Development and Management, LVAM, commented: “LV= European ex-UK Growth Fund has achieved a remarkable track record of consistent performance for its clients over a number of years. In order to widen its appeal to investors, the Sterling hedged share class aims to reduce the underlying currency risk of the portfolio’s assets by hedging currencies to which the portfolio has material exposure.

“We believe this gives LVAM a competitive advantage by offering a product that few others do, allowing a greater number of potential clients to access the Fund’s strong performance.”

Matthew Wright, Head of Sales, LVAM, said: “We know that there is demand for this type of product from clients and indeed, we already have strong pipeline interest ahead of bringing it to market. This is further evidence that LVAM is prepared to extend the investment options of an impressively performing fund to meet client needs.”

LV= European ex-UK Growth Fund was launched in 2003 and is managed jointly by Mark Page, Richard Falle and Laurent Millet. Last month it secured an OBSR ‘A’ rating and it carries an ‘AA’ rating from Standard & Poor’s. It is the only fund to have outperformed both the benchmark index and IMA Europe sector average in every year since 2004*.

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LV= Warns Of £264m Repair Bill For Alcohol-Fuelled Home Accidents

LV= is warning that accidents caused by Brits drinking and partying at home this summer is predicted to leave UK homeowners with a total repair bill of £264 million*.

New research by LV= home insurance suggests that the explosive combination of the football world cup and hot weather has fuelled a boom in alcohol-related accidents, as Brits increasingly hold parties at home. Based on last year’s breakages, 73,000 TV/computer/games console accidents, 686,000 stains on carpets, and 955,500 breakages have already happened this summer.

Of last year’s accidents 56% admitted that alcohol was involved and 31% stated the guest who did the damage was ‘quite drunk’ when the accident happened. A further 44% admitted they were ‘a bit tipsy’ at the time. The most common accident was broken glass or crockery (29%), followed by spillages causing damage to furniture (22%) or stained and damaged carpets (20%).

LV= is warning homeowners to ensure they opt for accidental damage cover as part of their home contents insurance, so that if any serous mishaps occur they are not left out of pocket paying to put the damage right.

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M&S Money Finds Brits Stick To What They Know And Love

M&S Money has found in its latest survey that once trust has been earned by a service provider, whether they are a dentist through to a shop keeper, loyal Brits will keep returning time and time again. On average, Brits’ relationships with their favourite shops and people do stand the test of time, according to new research by M&S Money to mark the company’s 25th anniversary.

M&S Money Finds Brits Stick To What They Know And Love

The results of the survey showed that people have firm favourites among their shopkeepers and other professionals, with over 3.4 million having remained loyal to their favourites for 20 years or more. Six out of 10 said that good customer service is the main reason they have continued to stay loyal to a person or business and over half cite reliability and good value for money.

Colin Kersley, chief executive of M&S Money, said: “Consumers will evidently stick with businesses and people who deliver great service and look after their customers. Most people can name someone they trust completely, whether cutting their hair, managing their money, decorating their house or fixing their car.

“People clearly feel strongly about good customer service, reliability and trustworthiness as these are reasons why they stay loyal for so long. After 25 years in business, M&S Money has stood the test of time and we know how important it is to continue earning the loyalty of our customers.”

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Research Finds Brits Seriously Undervalue Their Wardrobe

New research from home insurer LV= reveals many people are seriously underestimating the value of their clothes, shoes and bags when calculating their home contents insurance. The research shows that on average people estimate their clothes are worth around £1600 with accessories such as dress jewellery and watches valued at a further £1,300. However experts at LV= estimate the true average cost of a wardrobe to be over double this at £6000.

Omnibus research was carried out by Opinium on behalf of the home insurer LV=. 2004 online interviews were carried out between 11-15 September 2009.

LV= home contents insurance experts estimate that the average women’s wardrobe is worth around £7,000, with clothes adding up to £5000 and accessories, including items of jewellery worth less than £1500 each, adding another £2000. Men’s wardrobes are estimated to be worth slightly less at £5000 but are more likely to include expensive business and sports attire.

With levels of ‘wardrobe’ underinsurance so high, LV= is warning Brits to ensure they consider how much it would cost to replace all their clothes, shoes and accessories in the event of their property being flooded or hit by a fire.

Emma Holyer, spokesperson for LV= home insurance, commented: “The majority of homeowners have contents insurance but we estimate the levels of ‘wardrobe’ underinsurance to be around 70%. When valuing their contents people just tend to think about expensive jewellery, electronics and items of furniture such as sofas, beds and dining tables and forget how much it would cost to replace their clothing, shoes and everyday jewellery should the worse happen.

“Although it’s a relatively small percentage of claims where we see an entire wardrobe’s contents destroyed if you are underinsured you could find that your insurer will reduce the amount they pay out to reflect the cover taken out.”

As well as home insurance cover not fully covering attire in the home, under half (42%) of contents polices sold include personal possessions insurance. Personal possessions cover insures belongings that are regularly taken out of the home, such as bags, ipods, laptops and clothing against theft, damage or loss.

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Cash Strapped Brits Plan To Cut Insurance

Research by insurer LV= has revealed that more than five million Brits (12%) plan to cancel or reduce one or more of their insurance policies over the next 12 months, in a bid to save money during the recession, with home insurance policies set to be the hardest hit.

Of the 5.1 million who are looking to change their level of cover to save money 44% are considering cancelling or reducing their home insurance. Overall, the most popular element of home insurance cover to cut is flood insurance, with 29% of people saying this would top their list. This is despite numbers of flood claims increasing dramatically in the last three years due to bad weather and costing an average of nearly £17,000* each time.

Among those that are planning to cancel or reduce their insurance policies this year, 37% said they are considering downgrading their car insurance. Motorists in this situation should bear in mind that car insurance is a legal requirement. If they are caught without the right insurance they could risk a fine of £5000, disqualification and the car being seized and crushed by the police.

Another popular type of insurance to be cut back on is travel insurance. Almost a quarter of those who intend to cut back (22%) said they plan to cut or reduce their travel cover. Travel insurance is extremely cost effective, with insurance for a week in the sun costing from under £20**. This is compared with the cost of an air ambulance from the Canaries back to the UK carrying a fee of around £16,000***.

On average, those who are planning to cut their insurance cover this year believe they will save £125 over the course of the year, working out at just £10.41 in savings a month.

LV= warns consumers that they could leave themselves underinsured and exposed to costly bills by being too hasty in cancelling or reducing important cover.

John O’Roarke, managing director of LV= general insurance, said: “It’s understandable that people are looking to ways in which they reduce their outgoings, however cancelling or reducing essential insurance cover could result in many people finding themselves seriously out of pocket if something untoward happens.

“Home contents insurance is not legally required but anyone who has suffered a flood or break in will know how important it is to have cover in place as if you do have a problem and you don’t have cover, the cost often runs into many thousands of pounds.

“I would just urge those looking to save a few pounds to consider the wider implications of leaving themselves without valuable insurance cover this year, as it is at time likes these, when money is short, that insurance becomes evermore important.”

* LV= internal claims data
** £17.62. Based on a 28-year-old male, travelling to Europe on 12 February for one week including personal possessions cover, £10 million medical cover, £5000 cancellation cover and £2500 for baggage and £500 for lost or stolen money. The policy has an excess of £50.
*** Commonwealth Office (FirstAssist)

Opinium Research carried out a survey of 2141 people between 16 and 20 January 2009.

 

About LV=
LV= is a trademark of Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society Limited (LVFS) and LV= is a trading style of the Liverpool Victoria group of companies. The new LV= brand identity was launched in March 2007.

LV= employs more than 3400 people, serves more than 3.6 million customers and members, and manages around £7 billion on their behalf. We are also the UK’s largest friendly society (Association of Friendly Societies Year Book 2006/2007, Total Net Assets) and a leading mutual financial services provider.

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New M&S Money Survey Reveals Average Student Bedroom Contents Are Worth £1650

Following a new M&S Money survey which reveals that the contents of an average student bedroom are worth £1650, students heading to university are being urged to make sure they have appropriate insurance.

The poll of 2,000 students by M&S Money found that the average student bedroom contains:
– £718 worth of electrical gadgets and appliances
– £498 worth of clothing
– £224 worth of sports equipment
– £210 worth of text books

The huge value of a student’s bedroom is not surprising, with over half of students (53%) owning an MP3 player, 52% possessing a laptop and 42% enjoying movies on their own DVD player. The expense continues outside the bedroom, with a quarter of students owning a bike.

The survey also revealed that 14% of students have been burgled while at university and 22% of student cyclists have had their bikes stolen.

Despite this, only 16% of students have taken out their own insurance policy to cover their possessions whilst living in student accommodation. However, many people heading to university will not need to buy a stand-alone student policy and should check if their parents’ home insurance policy provides sufficient cover.

Steve Price, M&S Head of General Insurance, said: “Insurance may be the last thing on students’ minds as they prepare for the new academic year. It often feels like an unnecessary expense on top of everything else. Many students would be surprised to know that their valuables may already be covered – they just need to check whether their parents’ home insurance policy covers their property when away from home.”

Students whose parents have M&S Premier home contents insurance could even enjoy unlimited cover for their possessions when away from home. This covers events such as damage, flood or theft from halls. Students are also covered if their bike is stolen when they are at university, as long at it is left secured when unattended.

About M&S Money
M&S Money (originally called Marks & Spencer Financial Services) was founded in 1985 as the financial services division of Marks and Spencer Group plc. The company is now a top ten credit card provider and the second largest travel money retailer in the UK. M&S Money also offers insurance for homes, cars, travel, pets and weddings, as well as loans, savings and investments.

In November 2004, Marks & Spencer sold M&S Money to HSBC, one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organisations with over 9,500 offices in 85 countries and territories. The business continues to operate under the M&S Money brand, with an executive committee comprising an equal number of representatives from HSBC and Marks & Spencer.

The company employs 1,200 staff at its headquarters in Chester, delivering personal financial services to its customers, reflecting the core values of Marks & Spencer – quality, value, service, innovation and trust.

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